


Castor Lestrange

by Prydonian



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Dark Magic, Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter), Original Character(s), Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-11
Updated: 2020-06-16
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:54:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24661117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prydonian/pseuds/Prydonian
Summary: Harry Potter, a young wizard, so unspectacular, yet so known.Castor Lestrange, so known, yet so unknown.Castor Lestrange, born in 1954, is one of the younger cousin's by marriage of Bellatrix Lestrange.A member of the Lestrange family through the French side, watch as Castor faces the harsh reality of being related to Death Eaters when he stays in England and goes to Hogwarts.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	1. The Beginning of an End

**Author's Note:**

> This story is based on my idea of what would happen if another character was in the Harry Potter universe and what would happen because of this.
> 
> This story is based on the Harry Potter books by JK Rowling and I take no ownership of her books.
> 
> This story has got anywhere to go so if you have any ideas of what you think I could do with the story let me know, either through the comment or you can message me directly.
> 
> The character Castor Lestrange, and a few others are made up by myself and are not from the original books by JK Rowling herself. 
> 
> Once again if you have any ideas for the story let me know.
> 
> Thanks Prydonian

My name is Castor Janus Lestrange, eldest son to the head of the Lestrange family in France. My twin brother and I, Pollux, lost our parents when we were five years old, we stayed with our paternal grandfather till his passing. From then, we had nowhere to go. When we turned eleven, I was shipped off to live with our distant relatives. Reinhard Lestrange, his wife, and his two sons, Rodolphus and Rabastan. Rodolphus was two years older than us and didn't care much for me. Rabastan was only a baby.

\-----------------------------------------------

Time passed by living with them and during the summer we received a letter, an invitation to a school in Scotland called Hogwarts. I had also received an invitation from Beauxbatons, I declined the offer from them due to Uncle Reinhard telling me I had to attend Hogwarts as it was a more recent tradition for all Lestrange's to attend Hogwarts. This was to a point a threat. This could be considered a power struggle as Uncle Reinhard was the official head of the family in the UK, but I was the heir to my father's line.

We bought all the school supplies we needed in Diagon Alley, a British Wizarding shopping district, and all the other supplies we would need for the year.

As time went by at Lestrange Manor, I studied in their family library. That is until the time came for us to go to school. And then we were on a train. They call it the Hogwarts Express. All Hogwarts students take this train to go to school. Why they didn't take side-along apparition or the Floo there I will never know.

\-----------------------------------------------

"Stay away, you slimy frog," Rodolphus snickered, as he left me in a carriage hallway.

Rodolphus and I did not get on. Rodolphus insisted on calling me a frog, and I just ignored him. We never uttered a word to each other and never would for the foreseeable future. Rodolphus was in fourth year, and hated my guts, and had decided even before boarding the train that I would avoid him for the foreseeable future. The summer before the school year started had not been a fun experience in the company of my distant cousin.

That had then been it. Nothing extraordinary happened. I joined the Slytherin house. I met my fellow Slytherins, I learnt in school, I skipped years' worth of classes in Transfiguration, Charms and Potions and ended up in mostly fourth year classes, the one year I was trying to avoid. Rodolphus was not pleased. He had told me that he believed I was trying to show him up to his father and told me to watch my back.

\-----------------------------------------------

Within weeks of being at the school I was invited to the Headmaster's office. The newly appointed headmaster, Albus Dumbledore.

"Hello, my boy." Dumbledore said to me.

"Hello, Headmaster." I replied curtly.

"It is a pleasure to meet the prodigy I have been hearing about from my faculty." he said smiling at me, his piercing eyes looking at me as if trying to look at my soul," I hear you are quite the talent Castor Lestrange."

"Thank you, sir." I nodded politely.

"I have invited you here as I would like to make an offer to you," he explained, "For I would like to teach you as a sort of apprentice while you attend Hogwarts." he said to me.

I accepted his offer and thanked him.

"And if you need me Castor. I am always here for you to talk to." He said this almost knowingly. I had no idea what he was implying but nodded along with his implied meaning to his words. What did he know that I didn't?

"Thank you, Headmaster."

\-----------------------------------------------

For the rest of the year I would be taught everything Albus Dumbledore wanted to teach me. He invited me to see him whenever I was available. This led to me seeing him nearly every hour of the day that we were both available. He told me that he saw great potential for my future.

"You know Castor, I see a young me when I look at you." He explained one day, "You have so much potential, and you have never been tainted by the prejudice of Pureblood society here."

"It would be difficult to be, with only living with my relatives for a couple months." I explained, "I have hardly spoken a word to them, they have wanted nothing to do with me. Uncle Reinhard, that man, sees me as a threat to his standing in his house."

"Understandable." Albus stated, "Afterall it is your birth right. Although you have enough to your name in France as it is if I know my French Pureblood family history well enough."

"Yes. You are correct. But that doesn't change that I'm part of the official line to him." I explained, "I feel so alone, sir. I have no family left. And my only remaining family despises me."

"You have other family you know." He said to me.

"I know." I sighed, "But I have no close family."

"I know you lost your brother when you were eight." Dumbledore said quietly, "quite the tragedy if I remember well. And then you Grandfather passed recently as well."

"Thank you for telling me all my losses, sir. But I don't need to be reminded." I said quietly to him.

"I just want you to know Castor that I am always here for you." He said.

"I don't need your help." I said in a quiet shout, "I don't need you to remind me that I am alone when I already know." I shouted at him. "I know I've lost my brother; I know I lost my parent's and now I have no grandparent's. So, I don't need reminded of these facts you have of me."

Albus strode over to me and wrapped his arm over my shoulders. "Castor I didn't mean to offend you my boy, I just want you to know that even though you have lost so many of your loved ones. You still have people who care about you." He said, "You have me..."

From then Albus Dumbledore became like a grandfather to me over the course of a month, with my reluctance. Quite the feet if you ask me. He had become an unknown friend I hadn't known I needed. And yet here he was.

\-----------------------------------------------

I didn't gain many friends among my peers, more acquaintances if anything else. So, whenever I wasn't with Albus I would sit alone in the Hogwarts library and study at all hours of the day, with the help of Albus giving me permission to enter and read in the restricted section I learnt as much as I could.

One afternoon I had been walking to classes when I had spotted Rodolphus not far up the corridor. He was with a few of his friends and was delighted to see me. This was not a good sign. I could hear the warning bells ringing in my mind. So, I immediately turned in the opposite direction.

"Hold up little frog I want to introduce you properly to one of my friends," He said charmingly," I'd like you to meet Bellatrix Black."

I nodded to her. She smirked back at me darkly.

"This little toad is in my Dark Arts class." She said, smirking as she looked me over. "No need for introductions dear."

"Well I hadn't expected you to have already heard of my irritating cousin."

"And my being your 'friend'?" She asked looking at Rodolphus with her eyebrow raised.

"Well I assumed we weren't labelling anything yet." Rodolphus said. "Although I could say the future Lady Lestrange."

I sidestepped away from them to escape the little love nest that was forming between them.

"Where are you going cousin?" He said to me as I moved away, "How rude of you to leave in the middle of a conversation. Did your dead parents teach you nothing? What an uneducated little frog you truly are."

"If you find it necessary, I suppose I should say I must leave," I said smiling darkly at him, "Tell me how you get on together. And just so you know do not invite me to your wedding. I have better things to do. For instance, sitting in silence somewhere doing nothing."

"Why you little fr-" He started to say.

"No need to reuse one of your little insults, I already can guess what you have to say." I explained as I walked off.

"Where's your other twin, little boy?" I could hear the girl, Bellatrix Black say.

I turned around in shock, and stopped in my tracks. Staring open mouthed at her. I could hear Rodolphus laugh.

"What do you mean? How could you possibly know?" I asked darkly.

Bellatrix looked at me confused and then turned to Rodolphus. Rodolphus started to laugh.

"He's French and therefore ignorant Bella my dear." He explained to her in a dark laugh, "I think you may have to speak in simpler terms for him." Rodolphus sniggered.

"Come on little boy, I'm a Black. I know my stars. The twins 'Castor and Pollux'?" She said smiling sinisterly at him. "So, where is he?"

I walked on ignoring her question. Rodolphus really had met the perfect person to marry. Bellatrix Lestrange truly was something else. And I knew I would never get on with her and definitely not my cousin. As I walked on I could hear Bellatrix cackling.

"Did I say something wrong?", she said, "Did I hurt little Frenchies feelings?"

\-----------------------------------------------

A while later, I was walking through the stalls in the Library, when I heard someone behind me. Two older boys had grabbed me from behind and shoved me up against a bookcase. I struggled against but with no chance to get out of their grasp.

"Let me go!", I protested, "Why are you doing this!?!"

"Listen up little Slytherin, in case you didn't know any better. I'll warn you. Watch your back, and do not mess with any Gryffindor's. You hear!" One of them shouted at me as he held me against the bookcase.

Great. More people I have who hate me. I don't talk to anyone, yet I keep getting talked down to. When would people get the hint? Did I have a sign over my head asking people to hate me.

"What's going on!" I heard a woman say in the distance.

"Lay off him guy's, he's only a first year! Walk away and cool off." Another person said.

The group stood away from me not before one of them punched me right in the eye. I could feel the pain seeking through me as I felt disorientated. They then all walked off and left me lying against the shelf they had thrown me against.

The two people walked over to help me.

"Are you okay?" The woman asked. "I'm Molly Prewett, and this is Arthur Weasley."

"Are you okay? Speak to us, do you need to go to the Hospital Wing?"

"What's your name darling?" Molly asked.

"Castor." Such fast conversation she had spoken to me, something I was not yet accustomed to. I struggled to keep up with what they were saying.

"What did that lot bother you about?" Molly Prewett asked me as she looked me over.

"Probably my cousins doing. I swear he's out to get me..." I said.

"Who's your cousin?" Arthur Weasley asked.

"Rodolphus Lestrange...", I quietly said.

"I don't know him well. Fourth year I believe. Isn't he Molly?" Arthur asked Molly.

"I think you're right dear." She said.

"If you don't mind me asking. With your accent alone, I assume you are from France?" Arthur asked.

"Yes, my family have been in France for generations..."

"So, what happened?"

My face paled.

"Arthur! Don't be so insensitive!" Molly admonished him.

"Never mind. Never mind. Here let us help you." Arthur said.

They helped me off the bookcase and led me out of the Library.

"Well if you ever need us Castor, you know where we are okay?" Arthur said as they walked with me.

"Yes Castor. Any time. You should know you can always count on us." Molly said kindly to me as she put an arm over my shoulder.

They took me to the Hospital wing to have me checked over.

\-----------------------------------------------

Soon enough it was Yule. We went home. Uncle Reinhard greeted me with open arms. It was strange at first until I realised his reason for his change in tune. He explained to me that I was frankly like a second son to him. He went on about all my success and how alike I was to him. We had previously hardly spoken. He clearly had decided I was worth something to him now from hearing about me through the Pureblood rumour mill.

There was a scheduled Yule Ball that Uncle Reinhard had explained we were hosting on the 25th of December. All of the Lestrange friends and family were going to be there. This was practically the whole of Pureblood Wizarding Britain. We were fitted for our robes, and soon enough it was the 25th.

The guests had all arrived in the ballroom and I stood to the side away from view.

"Castor." I heard Uncle Reinhard say.

I quickly went over to him. No need to cause a scene. I stood across from him and this is when I spotted a man next to him. He stood there as if he commanded the room.

"Castor. I was just saying how good you were at casting. All from me of course." He told the man.

"Nice to meet you young man." He said to me. He then turned to Uncle Reinhard and said, "Do you mind my friend, if I take young Castor away for a bit to get to know him?" This was not a question that needed a reply.

"Of course. You can use my study." My uncle said.

We walked together to the study and he sat down at my Uncle's chair. If it had been anyone else I know they wouldn't have dared sit there.

"Castor my boy. A boring party would you not agree?" He said to me.

"It's very different to back home."

I looked him up and down trying to work out who he was. However I could get nothing: dark hair, tall, and wearing the same style of robes as everyone else. I don't believe you would pick him out from the crowd of my Uncle's friends. Yet he held a power behind him that you can almost feel in the air.

"Castor I believe that you are very skilled in the magical arts." He explained this to me smirking, "I've spoken to your Uncle Reinhard, and I have decided I would like to make you aware that I would be interested in you joining my club that your Uncle is a part of."

"Thank you, sir." I did not accept his request with these words. He however looked at me expectantly.

"Now, with all the words I've heard about you, I would go as far as to say that you are a prodigy."

"Thank you, sir.", I said to him politely.

"I would even say I see you as a younger me when I was at school." He said, unknowingly parroting Albus Dumbledore's words, "And at the rate you're going I think I could take you as my apprentice in maybe two years once you leave Hogwarts."

"Thank you, sir." He had already decided I would finish school early.

"Well, I will leave you with that." He said, "Goodbye for now Castor."

"I forgot to ask Sir, but what is your name?" I asked.

"I forget that you're not from here, and don't know our ways." He said quietly." Castor. My name is Lord Voldemort."

I stood in shock. The Dark Lord! How could I have been so unaware.

"So, you have heard of me." he said smug. "Goodbye Castor."

"Goodbye Sir." I replied.

It shouldn't have surprised me. I had heard whispers of Lord Voldemort from some of the older years at school. I had just never thought he would ask to personally see me. With his apparent Pureblood mania.

How ironic that the Dark Lord and the Light Lord saw me as they were at my age. How annoyed they would both be if I made them aware of their similarities.

\-----------------------------------------------

Uncle Reinhard set up another party on the 31st. This was for the Dark Lords Birthday I had been told. My Uncle had invited all of their friends to the party. Including Rodolphus and I.

The party was in full swing and everyone was having a great time. I looked over to see the Dark Lord and he smiled at me, almost knowingly. He walked over to me and took me aside.

"Are you okay Castor?"

"Yes. I am fine, thank you Sir." I said to him.

"What's the matter?" He asked, looking at me as if he knew everything.

"Well, today has never really been great for me." I explained to him with a quiet sigh.

He looked at me knowingly. I could sense him already sneaking through my wards on my mind. I let him. Let him think he could sneak into my mind without me being able to stop him.

"I lost my brother." I explained to him as I felt him move through my mind, "My parents had been out. We were eight. Pollux left the house and went wandering around the muggle streets not far from our home. The muggles, they knocked him over on the street with a 'car' and left him to die. I believe muggles here call it a 'hit and run'. I hate them..."

"I'm sorry for your loss Castor." He said to me, I couldn't tell if he was being sincere. I did however sense the hatred when I said the word 'muggle'. "Muggles are monsters. That poor young wizard. Alone in the muggle world."

'Just like me', I could hear him say in his mind. I jumped for a moment as I heard him through his thoughts. But as I looked at him I noticed he had not noticed my invasion of his mind

"No need to comfort me." I said quietly, "It's all in the past. I just feel so lonely sometimes without him."

The Dark Lord put his hand on my shoulder and nodded to me, "I'm here for you Castor if you ever need me."

'You will be mine', I heard him say in his mind.

"Thank you." I said quietly to him.

I felt like I was being swayed to both sides of magic first Albus Dumbledore and now the Dark Lord.

The rest of the party went on and I stood to the side to watch all the antics. I was told I was not allowed to leave early.

\-----------------------------------------------

Over the next couple days, I sat alone in the family Library, learning all the family books off by heart as I went. I tried to avoid Rodolphus and Uncle Reinhard. Neither plan worked.

"Well hello there little frog." Rodolphus said to me as he entered the library.

I nodded at him, not looking up from what I was reading.

"You know what I would like to know French." he said to me, "Why is the Dark Lord so interested in you? A little French boy: too studious and no care for our ways, or our politics. Why you?"

"What do you mean?" I said to him, looking up to him.

"Well father's always going on about how high a regard our Dark Lord sees you as." Rodolphus said, I could see the disgust at having to admit this. I could his envy in the air.

"Well I don't know Rudy." I said snidely.

"Fair enough." He said to me and walked off. I could hear his storming foot steps leaving as I went back to the book I was reading.

\-----------------------------------------------

Soon enough I was back at Hogwarts. I progressed far into my studies, Albus continued to tutor me, and as the years crawled by, I was finally in third year. Albus had told me I was allowed to sit any number of NEWTS that I wanted to. So, I took all the subjects I could.

I had continued to talk to the Dark Lord. He had told me that he would go as far as to say that I was even better at magic than Albus Dumbledore. Rodolphus still envied me. I was ahead of him in all my classes. He never hid his dislike to me.

\-----------------------------------------------

At the end of my third year after I had completed all my NEWTS, Dumbledore called me to his office.

"Hello Castor. How are you my boy?" He asked.

"Fine thank you," I said.

"So, as I know this is your last year, I need to organise the masteries you are going to take on." Dumbledore said. "A friend of mine is looking for an apprentice that he will give all his knowledge to and I told him I knew just the right young man."

I did not know what to say. I didn't want to take on a mastery. I believed I knew everything I needed to know. And just wanted to leave the school and get as far away from everything as I could.

"So, are you interested?" He asked me.

I stood lost in thought.

"To tell you the truth my boy, you do not really have a choice." Dumbledore told me. "So, what will it be?"

"What will he teach me?" I asked.

"Well he's a rather odd man, he has many specialties." Dumbledore told me. "I think you will like him."

"What's his name sir?"

"His name is Arlo Nestor." Dumbledore said. "I think you'll like him."

"Uncle Reinhard has actually set me up with another mentor." I said quietly.

"Well I don't think he is particularly the right sort. Do you Castor?" He said, we both knew it was the Dark Lord, " I'm trying to protect you Castor. Please..."

"I can't Albus."

After school had finished Albus tried to ship me straight off to Arlo Nestor. He lived in a secret location so Albus sent me a note describing to me where I would find him if I ever changed my mind.

\-----------------------------------------------

After school had ended I had gone back to my Uncle's house.

"Welcome home Castor." Uncle Reinhard said to me.

This has never and never will be my home.

"Sorry to say this Uncle but I'm not staying." I explained to him.

"The Dark Lord has requested that you stay here." He said sternly.

"Tell the Dark Lord that I'm busy." I said jokingly.

Uncle Reinhard looked at me in shock, obviously not reading my sarcasm, "I can't say that!" He shouted, "If the Dark Lord even heard you say that, You wouldn't miss the pain of the Crucio seering through your body."

"Well I won't be saying it will I Uncle," I explained to him smirking, "It will be you!"

"Stop with this stupidity!", he shouted at me, "Go to your room and I will call for you when the Dark Lord requires you."

"I'm not a child Uncle..." I said to him darkly.

"That I disagree with. Until you turn seventeen, you are one," he said to me harshly, "and you are my responsibility!"

I walked up the main stairs and entered my room slamming the door for effect. Knowing he would never hear it but did it for the power I felt with my anger.

"Hipsy!", I shouted calling one of the family homes house elves, "Hipsy!"

The small elf appeared in front of me.

"Sir has called for Hipsy." the house elf said to me, "What can Hipsy do for Sir."

"Go to the Library and bring me all the books that mention a man called Arlo Nestor." I said to the house elf.

The house elf nodded and agreed and popped back out of my room. I quickly flicked my hand to have all of my belongings back out of my trunk and into all of my drawers and tables. I then lay down on my bed and used accio to bring one of the books I had taken from the restricted section of the Hogwarts Library. Madam Pince would never be the wiser of all the books I had taken.

I heard another pop and looked over where I saw the house elf stand with all the books they had obviously found.

"Here is all the books you requested Sir." the house elf said to me placing them on my table.

"Thank you Hipsy." I said.

I quickly picked up one of the books and began to read about the infamous Arlo Nestor. As I read through the books it became apparent that there was apparently a great many Arlo Nestor's through history. This intrigued me. There was mention of him being a Master of Ancient Runes, Potions, Arithmancy, Transfiguration, and many more. This couldn't possibly be the same man. His theories however were extraordinary. For the next few days I sat in my room with meals being brought in by house elves, reading all the books I had and writing theories of my own.

\-----------------------------------------------

A few days later a house elf came to my room and explained that my Uncle required me. Obviously the Dark Lord had graced us with his presence. I walked down the stairs of the house and went to the room where I knew my Uncle and the Dark Lord usually sat.


	2. The Dark Lords Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Dark Lord instructs Castor to go forward in time. He asks this so they know of the future but really as a punishment as no one has knowingly survived a trip through time in this was. They choose the date that Castor will go to as 1994, the year of the Triwizard Tournament. But will all go to plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a little unsure of this chapter. it's just an entrance into the future.

I entered my Uncle's study and noticed the Dark Lord sitting in my Uncle's chair behind his desk with my Uncle sitting on the seat in front of the desk.

"Castor, you know I see you in good favour," the Dark Lord said to me smirking, "but blatant disregard to respect me, you know I can't allow that."

My bastard of an Uncle had told him what I had said on my first day back at his house. God was I done for.

"However, take this as an act of kindness that I will not punish you." The Dark Lord said.

I looked to my Uncle and visibly saw his face fall that I would not get the reckoning he thought I deserved.

'I couldn't hurt my Castor', I heard him say through his mind. Since he hasn't done anything I can assume something worse is about to happen.

"As a gift to me I look to you to give me a few years of this time for me," he explained, "you see I need you to take a trip for me to a couple years in the future."

I stared in shock, the surprise shown on my face.

"But that-that's-that's illegal," I said in shock, "no one's even known to have survived a trip to the future before, you can't make me go!"

The Dark Lord chuckled, "I know but with all this disrespect your showing me I now know I no longer need you for the foreseeable future. See this as a test of loyalty."

With those words, I turned to leave the room trying to run and frantically saying, "You can't, I'm leaving, you're insane, I'll never do it!"

However I did not get far, the Dark Lord had lifter his hand and bindings flew over to me to restrain me, I tried with all my magic to stop his attempts to stop me but he had me. I slumped to the ground with the ropes around me.

"You won't get away with this!" I shouted, "You're a monster!"

My Uncle and the Dark Lord only laughed together.

"If only you'd shown some respect in my house Castor and all could have been forgiven..." I heard my Uncle say.

\---------------------------------------------

They took me to the field outside the grounds of my Uncle's house. As I looked on as the Dark Lord levitates me forward I see the outlines of runes on the ground, which are apparently for me. I can see Time runes and dates. As I read the runes I realised my destination. 1994, 25 years into the future.

"Now we will place you in the centre and you will be taken to the time I have decided, we will be waiting there for you,"he explained, "if you don't return I will know that there will have been a complication and you haven't made it, for your sake I hope not. Or that we have changed plan, we'll find out in 25 years I suppose if it works."

He lowered me to the centre of the runes and they started to enact the rune for my perceived doom. I close my eyes in fear. Slowly darkness over took me and I lost consciousness.

\---------------------------------------------

I slowly opened my eyes, and looked around, there was no one in sight. Obviously it had worked I could feel the after affects of the runes but no longer was the Dark Lord there. I went back to my Uncles house to see if anyone was there. But the house was empty. And then I heard the unmistakeable sound of my Uncle's laughter that I had heard moments ago.

"Well, well, well...", I could hear my Uncle say, "I'll be damned you survived..."

I turned to face him but the man I expected to see before me did not look what I thought I'd see at all. He was a ghost. I started to laugh. It was comical. The old man got what he deserved.

"Oh you crack me up Uncle," I said through chuckles, "so how did you die? Tell me it will give me a laugh."

As I spoke to him I took the bindings of myself. And stared at him expectantly. He didn't reply, how boring.

"Oh come on Uncle, tell me how you died, was it gruesome, was it stupid, was it pointless?" I asked him, "I need details." 

"It was the Dark Lord...", he whispered, "he was furious after he sent you through time, he realised his mistake and punished me for making him send you away. It wasn't my fault but he wanted to pass the blame to someone. You know how he was."

"'Was'? As in past tense?", I asked him, "The Dark Lord is dead?"

"I assume so," he said to me, "he wouldn't have missed your return."

I left him there and left quickly. The shock of the Dark Lords death seared into my mind. What would I do now, 1994, a year so unknown to me, no one knowing of my existence and now I find out the Dark Lord is dead.

\---------------------------------------------

I had nowhere to go except to the only person I have ever trusted even slightly, Albus Dumbledore. However I didn't know how to get to Hogwarts from my Uncle's house. The house's main fireplace was no longer a part of the floo, I wasn't able to apparate yet, and wasn't able to create a portkey. Instead I cast my patrons charm and sent a message to see if he would be able to come and help me. I whispered the words, 'I should have listened to you Albus, I am at Lestrange Manor.' Would he listen to me, who knew, would he think it was a trap. Probably. I went up to my room and found all my belongings as I left them, including my trunk. I packed everything could into my trunk and went back downstairs. I stood and waited at the front door, and then I heard the pop of apparition. And I turned round and there he stood, Albus Dumbledore, as he turned and saw me he looked me up and down in shock.

"Castor-Castor Lestrange!", he said in shock, "I don't believe my eyes, and so young, did you take a dealing potion by accident, break your wand with a spell to create how young you look, have you hurt yourself?"

"I don't know what happened Albus," I said, "the Dark Lord-"

"I think we should take this conversation somewhere else," he told me as he stopped me from speaking further, "you don't know who could be listening."

I looked at him in surprise and nodded in agreement.

"Take my arm," he told me as he moved my arm over take.

\---------------------------------------------

I was side along just outside of Hogwarts with Albus Dumbledore. He led me through the castle and brought me to his office. He gestured for me to take a seat in front of his desk and sat down on his chair as well.

"I thought the worst of you Castor,"he told me, "I was sure you had died like so many young Slytherin's taken into the Dark Lord's Death eater's."

I could hear the meaning behind his words. He blamed himself for my assumed death. As he wasn't able to protect me.

"I should have listened to you Albus, I should have done what you told me to do,"I said quietly, "I went to my Uncle's house after I had finished school and a couple weeks into the first month of being back the Dark Lord was angered by something I said and wanted to give me a punishment as an example for what would happen if anyone spoke ill of him."

"What happened Castor?" he said to me, "What did he do to you?"

"He set up runes in the field near the house and made me sit in the middle, he had set it up as a time rune that would transport me here,"I said explaining what happened, "he didn't even expect it to work, he was sure I was going to die through the trip. That man... I hate him."

"I'm so sorry Castor," Dumbledore said to me as he looked at me sympathetically, "I'm so glad you survived."

"Me too..."I whispered.

"School is starting back tomorrow, so unless you are enrolling you will not be able to stay here, but to protect you I would like you to be near to me,"He explained to me, "unless I do enroll you at the school, change your name possibly it could work."

"What do you mean Albus?" I said to him, "I finished school, I have all my NEWTS. I can't sit through another year of school."

"You must Castor, it is the only way that I can keep an eye on you," he told me, "Death eaters are everywhere suddenly and are looking for anything that could help them find Tom."

I couldn't believe it, only just getting out of school and now being told I have to go back.

"You shall have to take on a different name incase anyone remembers you,"he told me, "you can keep your middle name. Janus was it?"

I nodded to him, and sighed, I hated my middle name.

"And you shall be a member of the Black family,"he told me, "after all you are a metamorphmagus and that's a Black family trait."

"Janus Black, it is I suppose..." I said sarcastically.

"What's the matter Ca-Janus?" he asked me.

"It's just another dark family to be a part of I suppose." I said to him.

"You shall be Sirius Black's son,"he told me, "you've lived in France with your mother for most of your life being homeschooled and visit the UK every so often. That'll explain your mixed accent."

I wish I had lived with my mother in France, a dream I had always wished would come true.

"This will stay strictly between us, none of the teacher's will know the truth and I will contact Sirius Black,"he told me, "and to warn you he was accused of being a Death eater and still is but I can guarantee he is innocent."

"Great so everyone will think I'm a member of a family of Death eaters..."I said, "what happened to my cousins anyway, are they dead as well?"

"No they're in Azkaban, all convicted Death eater's who were true followers of Tom are."he told me, "I'll have Minerva McGonagall, the Deputy Headmistress, take you to buy everything you will need...here's the supply list and I suppose I'll get you a Hogwarts letter to keep it official."

He then took out a pouch of money and handed it to me for expenses.

"Should I take on the appearance of Sirius Black, I've never met him, do you have a photo or a-"I said.

"Look into my mind and you will see everything I remember off Sirius Black." He made eye contact with me and then I saw everything I could of him from his first day at Hogwarts to the present day. We stood for what seemed like forever as I saw moment after moment in quick succession. I then changed my appearance in front of one of his mirrors in his office. "That's incredible, you're almost like his twin when he was your age. Will you be able to keep that up for long periods of time?" I nodded. 

He went over to his fireplace and put his head through. Moments later Minerva McGonagall stepped through and stood in the office.

"What's the matter Albus, I was just writing up last minute plans for-"she stopped speaking as she noticed me, "Albus that-that's Sirius Black! How could it be! He's a child!"

"Minerva, I would like to introduce you to Janus Black, Sirius Black's son,"Dumbledore explained.

"Pleasure to meet you Professor," I said, "I'll be a new student this year , in 4th year."

"As I said Minerva, I need you to accompany a new student to Diagon Alley to collect school supplies," he said to her, "are you still available?"

"Yes of course Albus, I'm able to take him now if he is ready?" she said as a question.

"Are you ready Janus?" Dumbledore asked me.

I nodded to him and followed McGonagall through the floo to Diagon Alley.

"What do you need?" McGonagall asked me.

I looked at the supply list and together we made our way round the shops to buy everything that I did not already have. we made our way then to buy my books. McGonagall looked at my booklist and told the shop keeper that I needed the fourth year books for the general course.

"And what electives are you taking Mr Black?" she asked me.

"All of them."I told her.

"All of them!?!" she asked astonished. "No one takes all of them!"

"Well I wouldn't want to be bored Professor." I said to her sarcastically.

She then told the shop keeper the other books I would need as well.

"Just like his father," I heard her whisper under her breath. How wrong she was, I thought.

We continued and eventually had everything I would need. We then went to Madam Malkins Robes for All Occasions. I already had my school robes but I knew it would be suspicious if I said I already had them.

\---------------------------------------------

We arrived back in Dumbledore's office and McGonagall bid me good bye. I un shrunk my trunk from my pocket and put all my new supplies inside.

"Just for my curiosity, a great many years ago, Madam Pince said that many books in the restricted section went missing," he told me, "I suppose they are in the book section of your trunk, the little library you have within?"

"I can neither confirm nor deny your claim Albus..."I said to him.

Albus looked to me with disbelief and nodded his head looking down with a smirk.

"If it's alright I thought we could quickly do you're sorting." he said to me.

"But Albus I'm a Slytherin."

"Correction Janus, you've never been sorted in this time," he explained to me, "and I think it would be in our best interest if you were sorted into Gryffindor."

I nodded in resignation, put on the sorting hat and persuaded it to put me into Gryffindor. I sighed quietly, I hated Gryffindors and now I was one.

"I also think it would be in our best interests if you took the Hogwarts Express,"he explained to me, "members of the order can take you in for the night and can drop you off at the train in the morning."

"Who would do that, take in a Death eater's child?" I asked him.

"Well someone who knows that Sirius is not a Death eater."He explained, "You might know them from school, Arthur and Molly Weasley."

Molly and Arthur, the only Gryffindors that didn't despise me. Who had cared for me and watched my back.

"I must tell you though you can not tell any of them that you are not his son at this time."

\---------------------------------------------

We arrived at Arthur and Molly's home, which Albus told me is called the Burrow. Their house is incredible, nothing like I have ever seen, I can't imagine a more perfect house.

As we walked up to the house I could see Molly walking out of their house to greet Albus, she couldn't see me as I was hidden behind him with his considerable height compared to me.

"Albus thank goodness your'e here!"Molly said to him, "After everything that's happened I was sure that I'd lost someone in my family! I was so worried. Have you found out who was at the rally they staged."

"Not to worry at all Molly, my dear,"he said to her, "We know who was there and we will make sure nothing further will occur this year."

"I'm just so worried, this is what happened last time, no one safe," she explained to him, "I fear for my children, growing up in times of war, we've lost to many people Albus, I've lost to many people."

"I'm sorry Molly, but I should have flood ahead,"he told her, "this is Janus Black, Sirius' son, I was hoping that you would take him in for the night before school starts, just so he can be taken to the platform."

"Sirius Black-Sirius-Black!"Molly said in shock.

"Calm Molly, we all know he's innocent Molly," Albus said, "and this is his son he hardly knows his father."

"Of course, of course,"Molly says quietly, "I was just a little shocked. Him Azkaban for so long, you just don't know what to believe anymore." She then turned to me and smiled, "Sorry dear, I know your not your father I was just surprised, you look like you could be hungry- yes you could use a meal, not a problem at all I have already prepared the family meal, only one more..." as she was saying this she looked to be in a state of shock, rambling all she could, with her unsureness around me.

"Well, I wouldn't like to intrude on your family, if you just make sure he is on the train tomorrow, I will take my leave," he said with a small smile as he walked away.

I looked at him in astonishment, Molly Weasley obviously did not believe Sirius Black was innocent, yet he claimed otherwise, I continued to stare at him as he walked away and stood unsure of what to do.

"Well dear come inside, I'll introduce you to everyone,"she explained to me wearily, "we have a few other visitors here, after the World Cup." I looked at her quizzically as I had no idea about the World Cup having only just arrived here. "Bulgaria and Ireland? The final?" she says to me, I nod acting as if I knew exactly what she was talking about. I said something along the lines of it being a good event, she looked at me horrified.

\---------------------------------------------

I entered their house with Molly infant of me, as I had said before their house was incredible, so holly and full of life, I saw a customised clock on one of the walls, a where is everyone one to be exact, I would have taken it in further if I hadn't noticed how many hands it had. How many children do they have? I then saw them all gathered together sitting at a table, possibly ready for their evening meal.

"This is Janus everyone,"she said to them, they all nodded at me,"Janus that's Ron my second youngest, he'll be in your year assume, fourth year?" I nodded, "And these are his friends, Hermione, and Harry," when she said the name 'Harry' she looked at my face expectantly, I didn't know who he was and just nodded along, "that's my husband Arthur, the twins are Fred and George, then Bill, and Charlie, and Ginny." They all nodded at me and greeted me. "Just take a seat next to the twins."

"Nice to meet you!" they both said to me as I sat down.

Molly had all the food brought down to the table and everyone began to get what they wanted. I lifted my hand subtly and one of the plates in the room floated over to me to get a helping of. Everyone turned to me baffled. I look at them worried. What had I done wrong, I thought.

"Underage magic is strictly prohibited,"Molly said.

"No its not, not in a wizard househo-" I started to say, but from the glare she sent me, I realised she probably didn't want her children knowing that.

"So Janus, why have I not seen you around school?" I heard the youngest, Ginny say, "and your'e in Ron's year?"

"I wasn't at Hogwarts," I lied, "I was homeschooled by my mum, and I wasn't even in the UK to do so."

"Are you French then? I mean you know by your accent?" Fred said to me.

At those words I looked to Molly and Arthur, I remember our first meeting when Molly had said the same thing. I feel upset for a moment as I thought about the lies I was saying to them, people who I trusted but was told not to trust. Molly looked at me for a moment waiting for my reply.

"Yeah, I've lived in France most of my life," I lied again, "although I would sometimes stay in the UK when my mum wanted to go travelling."

They continued to ask me questions, Ron's friend Hermione spoke to me alot asking about all the things she'd seen in France, I explained to her I'd hardly travelled around muggle France, as I was not a half blood or anything related to muggles.

"So who are your parent's?" Arthur said from across the table, "Would we know them?" When he said this all I could think about was how they knew me.

"Well, my mum was of French descent so you probably won't have heard of her," I said to them, "But you may know my father, Sirius Black." Arthur and everyone else looked at me in shock, they all looked at each other. Ron's friend Harry looked at me in particular, studying my face.

With my words, Molly declared the meal was over and told everyone to clean up, telling us that we needed a good nights rest for the day ahead. Molly told me there was no more bed spaces and directed me to one of the couches in the living room, she brought pillows and a duvet through and left me there, I opened my trunk next to the couch and got out everything I would need for sleep and what I would wear for the trip to the platform.

\---------------------------------------------

The next morning I woke early before everyone else, got changed into the robes I had set out for today and packed away all my belongings and headed outside for some fresh air. As I walking round their garden later, there was a sudden change of silence to chaos as everyone had obviously woke up. I could hear Molly's distinctive shouts about something urgent at the Ministry, and Arthur's reply. I walked back into the house and saw everyone was now up. As I walked in I saw Arthur and Molly talking to someone in the fireplace about please-men and dust bins. Eventually they ended their conversation, Arthur said he was going to work to sort things and they sent toast through the floo to the other man.

<"I'd better get going," he said to everyone, "have a good term boys," he said to Ron, Harry and the twins,"will you be alright Molly taking everyone to Kings Cross?" 

After Arthur left, Bill and Charlie came in. "Did someone say Mad-Eye?" Bill asked. "Did he do something? Is he alright?

"Mad-eye said he think someone broke into his house last night," Molly explained to him.

"Mad-eye?" said George, "Isn't he that nutter that-"

"Your father sees him very highly Fre-George,"she said to him, cutting him off, "and it's very rude to talk about people like that..."

As we sat I could faintly hear George whisper, "Yeah, and Dad collects plugs... Birds of a feather I say...", Bill and Charlie mentioned how great he was in his time and that he was one of Albus' friends. They then spoke about how he was an old Auror and caught most of the dark wizards in Azkaban.

Molly then left to visit the post office to use one of the muggle floor devise to call 'cars' to take us to the station. Molly explained when she returned they had tried to get the Ministry to provide them transport but they weren't able to. As we stood and watched the muggles tried without luck to put all our trunks in their 'cars', however the real problem started when they were going to have to take everyone's owls. As we all got into the 'cars', Hermione turned to me in surprise when she noticed I was not carrying any belongings.

"Do you not have a pet?" Hermione asked, I shook my head, "Not even an owl?" She asked in shock.

"Well I never have really had anyone to owl before..."I said to her, and it was true, after my parents died I lived with my grandfather and when he died I lived with Uncle Reinhard and when I went to Hogwarts I never wanted to send a single letter to him.

"And you're trunk?"she asked me, "Where is it?"

"In my pocket," I said to her. She looked at me with disbelief.

"Why are you lying to me?" she asked me accusingly.

"I'm not," I said back quickly, "I used a shrinking charm, and it's practically weightless so why would I carry it."

"But your not allowed to do magic outside of school!" she said to me in shock.

"You really all don't know,"I said to her, "in a Wizarding household you're allowed to do magic as long as their are no muggles to see, and windless is usually good to keep under the radar."

"Wandless-magic-outside of -school,"she said, "but it's against the law, you could be expelled!"

I chuckled to myself as I listened to her. I thought in that very moment that she was going to be very fun to talk to. Muggle borns were so easy to talk to as you could talk about any manner of thing as they loved to learn about things they didn't know about the wizarding world. Although they hardly believe half of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is mostly a stepping stone for Castor to find his footing in the future. I hope it's okay. Wasn't so sure if it all works out.


	3. Just Pretending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castor adjusts to pretending to be the son of Sirius Black and having to live in 1994.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is the beginning of Castors time at Hogwarts as he deals with having to pretend to be someone else.

My name is Castor Janus Lestrange. Well actually, that’s now no longer true. I am Janus Black, only son to Sirius Black, and I have lived with my mother in France for most of my life. I am now a liar. When people ask why I didn’t go to a wizarding school. The reason: I was home schooled. When people ask about my French and British mixed accent. The reason: because I would visit regularly with my mother. The only problem with one of my lies I now must tell to hide, is that Sirius Black is thought to be a Death eater on the run from Azkaban, which means that once again I was going to Hogwarts with everyone believing I was evil without getting to know me. Also, it was exhausting keeping up my look I had created for being Sirius Black’s son. My metamorphmagi abilities while good, had not be tested as hard as they were now.

\---------------------------------------------

Together with the Weasley family and co, we left the taxi with our belongings and walked through the rain, I used a rain repellent spell on me and watched everyone else get soaked. It was fun to watch, and I gave a laugh. Once again Hermione looked at me with surprise as she saw that I was dry.

“I’ll teach you the spell later if you’d like?” I said to her with a smile.

“You can’t talk about this outside!” Hermione said quickly giving me a scowl, she leaned towards and whispered into my ear, “muggle street, muggle train station, you are practically breaking the statute of secrecy!”

As she said this into my ear I looked around and noticed all of the muggles staring at us.

“And the owls don’t?” I asked her questioningly.

“And you’re wearing robes!” she told me whispering loudly in my ear, “How can you be so careless!”

“So does everyone else…” I told her, yet when I looked round, I noticed everyone was in more muggle clothing in our group. “I’ve never travelled in a muggle way,” I explained to her, “those ‘car’ mobiles were a push.”

“You’re a pureblood…” she told me, “I forgot, you don’t have any form of muggle influences.”

Except my brother’s death, I thought to myself. “Those car mobiles are death traps, I can’t believe I even got in one.” I said in a whisper.

\---------------------------------------------

We arrived to the pillars between platform 9 and 10 and stood in front of them, everyone started to go through in groups of two until it was just myself and Molly. 

“Okay Janus dear you just have to run through like everyone else did okay?” she asked me.

I looked at her in shock, pretending to be surprised by the magic she was talking about. Keep up the act, I thought. When this is all over, I bet I could definitely take up that muggle job of acting. I then nodded at her and she took my hand. With her touch I felt the past in my hand and remembered my friendship with her and Arthur. How I missed them.

“Okay, stay calm you’ll be okay, just give it a running start,” she said to me as she smiled encouragingly.

I ran through and there I was back on platform nine and three-quarters, standing in front of the Hogwarts Express. Molly suddenly stepped through the entrance behind me.

“Good, you made it dear,” she said to me smiling. She then said goodbye to everyone and hugged everyone.

We all got on the train together. The twins ran off together saying they were going to go find their friend Lee Jordan, Ginny went away as well saying something about finding someone. I followed Ron and his friends to an empty compartment. We all heard some boy known as Draco saying how he should have gone to Durmstrang instead of Hogwarts. BY everyone’s tone I could tell they all despised him. They all put their belongings down and sat down in the seats. I quickly unshrunk my trunk and placed it beside me. They all watched me while I sat down. They looked at me and I could tell by the looks in their eyes that they wanted to ask me a great number of questions.

“How do you do all those spells wandless and silently?” Hermione asked, “Is it a family gift? Did you have to practise it for many years?”

“I guess I have always been able to do it,” I explained to her, “I never really had that much accidental magic, I could control it very young.”

“Really!” Hermione said to me, “That’s extraordinary!”

“Are you really Sirius’ son?” Harry asked me.

“Yeah he’s my Dad.” I said quietly. I really hate lying.

“You don’t have to worry we all know he’s innocent,” Harry said, after he saw the awkward stance I took while I spoke about him being my Dad. “He’s the best, it’s all Pettigrew’s fault he’s still on the run.”

“Yeah,” I said to him.

“Here let me show you something that Sirius and his friends made at school,” Harry said to me, “it’s a map, you can see everyone’s names and where they are around the school.”

I looked at him suddenly shocked, with that map they would be able to see my real name. No one noticed my shocked face, Harry went to his trunk and pulled out an old piece of paper. He took out his wand and said to the paper “I solemnly swear that I am up to no good”, and handed it to me, it was beautiful charm work and with such intricate detail.

“Could I borrow this for a while,” I asked, “just see what it’s like when we get to school?”

“Yeah, sure,” Harry said to me, “Just when you’re finished using it say, “Mischief Managed.”

I pointed my wand at it and said the words and the map disappeared. I quickly put it into one of the pockets of my school robes as I took them out.

“I can’t believe Malfoy nearly went to Durmstrang,” Hermione said thinking back to earlier, “I wish he had gone to Durmstrang instead that would have meant that we wouldn’t have had to deal with him for all these years.”

“Durmstrang?” Harry questioned, “Is that another school?”

“Yeah,” I said to him, and then explained “it’s for all the students who want to study magic at a school who are from Scandinavia and outer regions, it’s located supposedly in either Norway or Sweden, no one’s entirely sure.”

“The Bulgarian seeker,” Ron said excitedly, “he goes to Durmstrang.”

“It’s definitely up North somewhere,” Hermione said thoughtfully, “Because their uniform is said to have quite a lot of fur and many layers, it must be cold wherever it is.”

“Just imagine,” Ron said suddenly out of the blue, “we could have accidently pushed Malfoy off a glacier by accident, if only his mother didn’t love him.”

I looked at Ron questioningly, his words sounded slightly psychotic. 

Then the trolley lady appeared, “Anything from the trolley?”, she asked us. I politely said no to her, Hermione bought a cauldron cake, and Harry bought some Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans, cauldron cakes, Chocolate Frogs and pumpkin pasties. I questioned myself why he would buy so much and then I realised that it was because Ron didn’t have money for anything. He then put everything he bought between them all and told everyone to help themselves.

Several of their friends appeared not long after, Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas, and Neville Longbottom.

Soon conversations turned to Quidditch, Ron asked if I played, I told him yes, but I wasn’t very interested in the sport itself. I had lied once more; I would say how I’d watched goodness knows how many games but if I was asked, I would have no idea who all the players were or what team was good. My knowledge all way past its expiration dates.

Ron started to tell Neville, who hadn’t been at the World Cup, all about it and showed him a figurine he had gotten while there of the seeker from the Bulgarian team Victor Krum.

“We saw him so close up as well, because we got such good seats,” Ron explained to him, “Right in the Top Box, with all the-”

A boy appeared at our door with blonde hair who Hermione whispered was Malfoy, “Yes, Weasley, and you won’t be back there again,” he said with a smirk on his face. Two other boys stood behind him who Hermione then told me were called Crabbe and Goyle. “Granger, although I must say you are a fine commentator, I must ask you to stop your whispering to your friend there.” As he said this he looked at me, and our eyes met. He looked surprised for a moment and said, “Who are you? I’ve not seen you around.”

“I’m Janus black,” I said to him, “I’ve just joined this year.”

“I assume you’re a Pureblood,” he said to me, “So I’ll give you a warning now, Granger there is not even a Half-blood.”

“I know,” I told him, “however I would say she is trying her hardest to make up for her muggle blood, wouldn’t you say?”

“Join me Black, and I can truly show you the right sort to be with,” Malfoy said to me, holding his hand out towards me.

“Thank you for the offer,” I said to him, “but they are my house, and your house is supposed to be your family, or so I’ve heard. We can still be friends though.”

I held my hand out for him to shake and he took it hesitantly, he looked at me wearily, I felt like he was almost unsure whether I was being sincere.

“I’ll see you around then Black,” he said to me and said nothing to the other occupants of the room. He then exited along with his two friends behind him.

“Ron, your dress robes are hanging out of your trunk slightly,” Harry told Ron.

“I know!” Ron said aggressively, slamming his hand into glass window of the side of the room. Ron obviously hadn’t known, but he seemed embarrassed when Harry made him aware. I quickly put my hand out to repair the glass. As I did so I looked over and could see that Hermione had taken her wand out to do the same. She once again looked at me surprised, and slightly miffed I had beaten her to do the magic to fix it. “I hate Malfoy! If I were you Janus I would stay clear of him, he always acts like he’s better than us… always saying how amazing his father is, ‘my father could obviously have a higher job in the Ministry but he prepares it where he is…’, he’s such a git.”

“I wouldn’t let Malfoy get to you Ron,” Hermione said to him, “he’s a waste of time to talk about.”

I looked round interested. It seemed that the reason why Ron didn’t like Malfoy was because he was jealous, just listening to him you could tell he was jealous of a lot of things. I felt slightly sorry for him.

“Of course he doesn’t get to me,” Ron said defensively, “he’s just a prick.”

For the rest of the trip, Ron sat quietly. You could almost feel the anger seeping from his skin. He didn’t talk at all.

“When are we supposed to get into our school robes?” I asked the room after a while.

“Oh, that’s a good idea Janus,” Hermione said to me, “I’ll just take my uniform and go get changed, you can get changed in here.”

Hermione left and we all got changed in the compartment. Ron and Harry talked quietly to each other as I listened to their conversation. Ron seemed to be slightly unsure of me due to my friendship I had extended to Draco Malfoy. I didn’t mind however as I didn’t come here to make friends. I was here because Albus told me to. 

Soon Hermione came back and sat down across from me.

“So what courses are you taking this year Janus?” she asked me smiling.

“Well,” I said to her, “I’m taking Transfiguration, Potions, Runes, Arithmancy, Charms, Muggle studies, Astronomy, Defence against the Dark Arts, History, Divination, Herbology, and Care of Magical Creatures.”

Hermione looked at me shocked, “That’s all of them!”

“Yeah, but I’m not taking the classes for a few as I already know everything for the exams,” I explained to her. In truth if that was the case I would be taking no classes but Dumbledore agreed that I couldn’t do so and had to blend in a tiny bit.

“What one’s?” she asked me.

“Astronomy, History, Runes, Arithmancy.” I told her.

“That’s hilarious,” Ron said to Harry, “he’s still taking more than us.”

“I think someone’s beating you Hermione,” Harry said quietly.

“Who would have thought we would meet someone who was smarter than ‘Mione.” Ron said. As he said this, I could see Hermione’s face fall. I could tell by her eyes looking down that she was upset by his words.

“And you won’t have to sit through Binns’ lectures about the Goblin Wars’, you won’t believe how little you know until Binns starts going,” Harry explained, “yet I couldn’t tell you anything.”

“It’s a good place to nap,” Ron said to Harry, “good place to catch up on sleep.”

Ron was only speaking to Harry. From this I gathered he had decided I was a waste of time for him. He continued to be annoyed for the trip and showed me sideways glares as I spoke with Hermione. 

As we arrived at Hogsmeade, it was dark outside and very quiet. However, there was the faint noise of thunder in the distance. Rain started as we left the train, Hermione had her pet cat held within her robes as she left and everyone else left all of their belongings. I also left my trunk behind.

As we walked down Hogsmeade station Harry turned around and spoke to a man named Hagrid, who I vaguely remembered from before. We reached the carriages and I quickly patted one of the Thestrals, Hermione looked at me questioningly and I just smiled at her not explaining how I was patting thin air.

\---------------------------------------------

When we arrived within Hogwarts all soaked to the bone, we stepped into the Entrance Hall.

“I can’t believe how bad the weather is,” Ron said to Harry, “I’m completely soaked, I can’t underst-”

Just as Ron was speaking a water balloon appeared from above, I watched it fall towards him and did nothing to help. I sniggered under my breath. He screamed in surprise as he was covered in even more water than before. Another then appeared and fell on the floor in front of Harry and his feet were then wet. As I looked up to find who had dropped the balloons, I spotted Peeves. And then he spotted me, even though I looked completely different he gave a look of recognition.

“Little Castor still roaming the halls after all these years!” he sang from above.

Everyone looked around confused, probably more so than usual, and looked round to find out what he was talking about. I moved my head down and tried to avoid everyone’s eyes. How Peeves had recognised me I will never know but I knew I could not let everyone understand.

“Peeves, what do you think you’re doing,” I could hear McGonagall say as she arrived to the chaos, “leave at once.”

“But I’ve done nothing wrong!” Peeves laughed, “And it won’t make a difference, they’re already covered in water anyway.”

He then through more water balloons around the entrance aiming for the largest groups.

“Peeves I’m warning you now…” McGonagall told him.

“Fine…” Peeves said annoyed, “But I’m only going because I want to…”

He then zoomed off up the staircase and out of sight. McGonagall then told everyone to enter the Great Hall and we slid our way through the water inside. As I looked at Ron I gave a quiet laugh as he moved his drenched hair out his face irritably. 

We all sat down at the Gryffindor table, I felt a bit lost and out of place. My school robes didn’t even feel like they were mine, as the red felt foreign to my touch. The Gryffindor house ghost, Nearly Headless Nick sat at their table and chatted with Harry for a moment.

“I hope they hurry this up a bit, I’m really hungry,” Harry said as he took off his shoes which were wet from the water balloon.

“Here allow me,” I said to him, “I did a quick drying charm on his shoes, “better?”

“Yeah, thanks,” Harry said surprised, “you really know your spells don’t you.”

“What can I say,” I said sheepishly.

“I can’t seem to spot the new Defence teacher for this year,” Hermione said confused.

“What do you mean, do you just swap them out every year?” I said to her sarcastically.

“Yes actually,” she said not noticing my sarcasm, “there’s apparently a jinx on the job.”

I remembered it from when I was in school, but I wasn’t aware it was actually a jinx on the position, I thought we just had really bad teachers.

“Every single one of our teachers has never survived a whole year,” she explained, “some way or another they end up unable.”

By her facial expression I could tell this was an understatement. Then the doors to the hall opened and McGonagall guided the first years to be sorted. The sorting hat did its song and we watched as the sorting hat sorted the new students. Every year I watched this the longer it became. Eventually the Sorting was over, and we tucked into our food.

“You’re very lucky you can have this meal tonight you know,” Nick explained, “Peeves was up to his usual causing problems in the Kitchen, said he didn’t think the feast should happen.”

“He was in a right mood earlier,” Ron said darkly, “Peeves is a waste of space if you ask me, I say we do an exorcism on him, like one of the Muggleborns said.”  
“He really needs to calm down,” Nick told them, “scared the house elves quite a bit.”

“House elves!” Hermione said surprised, “We have house elves at Hogwarts!”

“Of course,” said Nick, “the most in the whole of Britain, about a hundred I’d say.”

“But they get paid, and pensions and can get time off if they’re ill?” she asked him, “They must have rights?”

“Oh goodness no,” Nick said, “they wouldn’t want to if you even asked.”

Hermione looked at her plate of food disgusted, “I can’t believe I have been eating meals made by creatures that are treated like slaves!” she said shocked, pushing her food away from her.

“Just eat,” Ron said to her, “it won’t change anything if you starve yourself.”

After we had all eaten, with the incessant glare from Hermione as we ate every bite, Albus went on to start his speech at the end of the meal. He told us the new rules to follow that the caretaker had made. He continued to talk until he started to say something that destroyed everyone’s happiness in the room.

“There will be no inter-House Quidditch Cup this year.” He said.

Everyone stopped and stared at him in shock and an uproar of shouting began. As I looked round, I swear I saw some people in tears. Dumbledore put up his hand for silence so that he could continue.

“This is due to an event being held at our school this year,” he explained, “it will start in October. I am happy to announce that our school will be hosting the Triwizard Tournament.”

After he said this the door suddenly opened and there stood Mad-eye Moody. I assumed he must be the new Defence teacher. Dumbledore introduced him to the school and Harry looked to Ron surprised saying this was the man that was mentioned at their house. Hermione was surprised by his face, which showed the battle scars of fighting the Dark Arts.

“As I was saying we will be the hosts to the Triwizard Tournament,” Albus continued on from before, “it is a great honour for us to host this ancient tournament.”

A tournament that was banned I thought to myself.

“Are you having a laugh?” Fred said to the room.

“No I am not Mr Weasley,” Albus said to him, “Although I did hear a joke recently, if you would like to hear it. It involves a Veela, a Goblin, and a Wizard. Very unexpected ending. I could tell it now, now that would be a laugh, well a Veela-”

“This is not the time Albus,” I could her McGonagall say to him.

“Quite right,” Albus said to her, “anyway, I will explain the Tournament to those who don’t know its history, well…”

Albus described in great detail the history of the Tournament and what it entailed. A few people had nodded off during it.

“The schools that take part with us are Beauxbaxtons and Durmstrang,” Albus said at last, “we will be selecting champions when they arrive.”

He then explained that there was an age restriction this year, many were very upset by this, but I was not bothered at all. After Albus finished talking everyone around me continued to talk about finding a way to enter and soon decided to leave the hall to go to the common room. I followed everyone up to find the Gryffindor common room and to know the password. Once I found out the password, I instead went to find Albus in his office.

As I went to his office he was stood outside almost as if he had predicted my arrival.

“Janus, good to see you,” Albus said to me, “if you would like we can talk in my office.”

I nodded and I followed him up to his office. We sat down at his desk and I looked at him angrily.

“You didn’t know I assume, that Molly does not believe Sirius’ innocence,” I asked him.

“Not at all,” he said, “I apologise if that was awkward for you.”

“Not at all,” I told him, “but next time I would like a warning. And I could have just stayed here.”

“I wanted you to make some friends for school,” he told me, “Ronald Weasley and his friends are in Gryffindor in the same year as you.”

“Ronald is not my kind of person,” I told him, “and you know that.”

“And what of Hermione Granger,” he said to me, “she’s a muggleborn, I’m surprised you’re socialising with her, I never saw you socialise with any person of muggle origin before.”

“I don’t know Albus she’s different,” I explained, “and I never had the chance before. If Uncle Reinhard had even heard of me fraternising with muggle blood I probably would not be here to this day, or maybe a little earlier.”

“I’m surprised,” Albus said to me, “and impressed for your maturity to do so.”

“I don’t need you to be Albus,” I said to him, “there’s no Dark Lord entering my mind to know about who I talk to and what I do.”

“I know it was hard for you Castor,” he said, “I always wished that I had done something to help.”

“As I said before,” I started to say to him, “I don’t need your help. And I don’t want to be here, the Gryffindor’s are already getting to me. Can I not go somewhere else?”

“I wish you could but all the people I could send you to are no longer able to do so,” he explained, “my friend Arlo Nestor, disappeared a great number of years ago, and all my other friends disappeared to get out of the public eye.”

“What about Nicholas?” I asked him, “Could he not take me in?”

“Nicholas and Perenelle are no longer available to speak to me,” he explained, “I owe them a great debt now, and they no longer would help me with any matter of things. I stole their immortality as it were. I took their stone from them and Tom nearly had his hands on it. So I had to destroy it. They’re now living a quiet life away from view, with what remains of their elixir.”

“I’m sorry Albus,” I said to him, “although such a big mistake, I know you did not mean to let that happen.”

“Nicholas blames me,” he told me, “but he has accepted that it is his time.”

We sat in silence for a moment.

“Albus I wish to leave,” I said.

“And I wish to keep you safe,” he said in reply.

“I can protect myself!” I said annoyed.

“I’m sorry Castor but this is not a negotiation that you should be making,” Albus told me, “Tom favoured you greatly but if you ever happen to be in his hands again in the future you could die like he had previously planned.”

“I’m not a child!” I shouted at him.

“Yes you are Castor,” he said, “and you are my responsibility.”

I looked up surprised, remembering my conversation with my Uncle. God did I hate people thinking they knew the best for me. I knew the best for myself.

With anger something happened that had not happened to me for most of my life. Accidental magic appeared from my fingertips and I through my arms up in anger and all of the trinkets that were sprawled around the room smashed. I stared shocked at the power that I possessed, and I quickly waved my hand to fix them. 

“I’m sorry Albus,” I said to him, “I’m just confused. I don’t know what came over me. I just don’t want to be anyone’s pawn.”

“And you aren’t as long as you let me protect you,” he said.

Just by his words he confirmed that I was a pawn. I looked annoyed at him and turned on the heels of my feet.

“Where are you going Castor!” Albus asked surprised.

“I’m leaving!” I said to him.

“You can’t leave Hogwarts,” he said, “I won’t allow it.”

“I meant to my common room?” I said to him laughing darkly.

“Right?!?” he said confused, “Goodnight Castor.”

I laughed and left his office. I had forgotten how easy it was to worry him. And how annoying he could be, thinking that he knew what was best for me. I would stay at the school. Not because he told me to but because I honestly had no idea where I would go. My words before had been in a way a bluff. Where would I go if I left the castle. I had no family, no friends and no home to return to. I was alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading my story so far. I'm not sure if it's alright but I'll see where it goes from here.


	4. Being Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castor starts his life as Janus Black. However he is unable to choose which side he is on. Although he plays the part, and has the look, he doesn't know if it is right for him. After all he was never meant to stay in school for so long. And he can't help feeling like he does not want to live the lie he started anymore. Was he a part of the light or the dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This Chapter is a decision of sort for what Castor will decide, and what kind of person he is.

When I was at Hogwarts I had always gone to Albus as a friend, but now I knew that I had just severed our friendship in a way that it wasn’t over but I knew would never be the same again. I had always used Albus as a crutch so that I had someone to talk to when I was in school. I had never really had anyone as a true friend. I had been alone for as long as I can remember.

\---------------------------------------------

As I walked along the corridors to go to my new common room, I thought of my brother. Pollux was my whole world, we were inseparable, until the day he died. I wonder what would have been different if he hadn’t gone out that day on the muggle streets. But I throw the idea away as quickly as it entered my mind. I was a different person to who I was when I had been with Pollux, and in no way could I ever be the same person again. I was now a liar, a snake in lions clothing. I found it difficult surviving for even one day in all the Gryffindors company. And yet I did not miss Slytherin either. It’s difficult to miss something you didn’t care for in the first place.

I reached the portrait to the Gryffindor common room, I quickly said the password to the portrait, ‘balderdash’, and entered. As I looked round, I was surprised, it was so homely compared to Slytherins. A circular room, with bright reds everywhere, and I could even feel the heat radiating from the fireplace.

I found the dormitory for my year and entered as quietly as I could. I looked over and saw my bed with my trunk beside it. I slowly walked over so as not to wake everyone who was sleeping. 

“Where were you?” I heard Harry suddenly say as he got out of his bed, “Everyone was asking, but we had no idea, you just disappeared.”

“I was just wandering about,” I told him, “seeing the sights I suppose.”

“Right…” Harry said sarcastically, “I’ll pretend that I believe you.”

“You better,” I said laughing quietly, “because that’s where I was.”

“I was meaning to talk to you,” Harry said suddenly, “can we talk maybe down in the common room area, so we don’t wake everyone up.”

“Sure,” I said to him awkwardly, unsure of what was about to follow, “lead the way.”

\---------------------------------------------

We sat down in the armchairs in front of the fire and then Harry spoke.

“I didn’t know Sirius had a son,” Harry said, almost accusingly, “he never mentioned you.”

“Well, how many times have you spoken to him,” I said, but as I did, I looked at Harry and I saw the hurt in his eyes, and in that moment I realised I had said the wrong thing to him.

“He’s my godfather…” Harry said angrily, “he would have told me!”

As I looked at Harry, I swear I felt like he was boiling holes through my eyes as he glared at me. You could see the sadness and fury I had caused him.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” I said to him defensively, trying to calm him, “I meant nothing by it, it probably was just not important enough to him to tell you, he hasn’t seen me for most of my life anyway, you probably know more about him than me.”

Saying that to him meant that in future he would not expect me to tell him anything he did not know about Sirius. He was now declared the expert of everything about my supposed father, that I was masquerading as his son. With that he visibly calmed in front of me.

“So, I guess you miss him to then,” Harry said to me quietly as he calmed, “after not seeing him for so long.”

“Yeah, I can’t even describe it in words how much,” when I said this, I wasn’t talking about Sirius but about my past, all the things I lost by jumping forward in time. My identity, my grief, my whole life. Could I even say now that I had a brother? No, because unless Albus said so, Janus Black has no siblings.

“You’re so different to everyone else,” Harry said, “you look at me like a normal person. Nobody ever treats me like that. Not even my friends sometimes.”

“If you ever need a spark of normality,” I said to him, “I’m your guy I suppose.”

Harry looked at me and smiled. “Janus? Where have you been all my life.”

“In another world I suppose,” I said to him laughing.

“You’re really a breath of fresh air compared to everyone else,” he said to me, “you’re so different. It’s refreshing.”

“You too,” I said to him, “I guess before you I felt like no one understood me at all.”

He looked at me questioningly, staring at me in wonder. After I had said that I wondered what I had even meant by that. Harry was really something different for me. I couldn’t even put it in words.

“I guess that makes us…” Harry said as he thought of words, “… friends?”

He said this so awkwardly I almost burst out laughing, “Yeah, friends.”

I looked over at him again and then looked into the fire. ‘Friends’, what a strange word, yet I don’t believe that was what we truly were at all.

\---------------------------------------------

The next morning we went down for breakfast. The moment with Harry etched into my memory. However due to Ron’s weird hatred towards me I decided to keep my distance and stand by Hermione.

“So, how was your first night?” she asked me, “isn’t Hogwarts incredible.”

“Yes,” I said to her casually, “it is.”

“I can still remember by first night,” she explained to me, “it was even better than I dreamed. Even Hogwarts: a History, did not give it enough credit.”

“I would have to agree,” I said, in truth Hogwarts was a cold castle in Scotland with terrible weather, but I didn’t want to contradict her, I then said with a hint of sarcasm, “it’s magical.”

“Are you excited for your first day of lessons? I always am…” Hermione then started to ramble on about her experiences.

I felt like I had slightly had enough. With years of sitting at the Slytherin table with no one to talk to had not prepared me for this at all. I nodded and smiled at Hermione though as I knew not to be rude to her. We then sat down at our table and McGonagall handed out our timetables.

\---------------------------------------------

The day of classes went by even slower than I had expected. 

Herbology was relaxing. Bubotuber pus must be handled with care but does not take much thought. How people would curse of acne I will never know when you can just use what we collected to do so instead. The Professors story about Eloise Midgen stopped me from ever considering cursing them off. Imagine losing your nose. I suppose Bubotuber pus was definitely the way to go.

We then headed off to Magical Creatures, where the man Rubeus Hagrid was taking the class. We were being taught about Blast-Ended Skrewts. Not much considering how dangerous they were. Hagrid told us we had to care for them as a class project. I thought in my mind in that moment that I would be opting out for the rest of the year in this class. I would rather not lose something from the creatures blast, or bite, or sting. I had to agree with Malfoy when he said sarcastically, “I don’t see why people wouldn’t want to keep them alive!”

\---------------------------------------------

Lunch time started and we headed to the Great Hall to eat. Hermione ate quickly and everyone looked at her surprised after her previous statement about not eating the school’s food.

“What I need to go to the library,” she explained, “I can’t waste time eating!”

“But-But, we don’t even have any work to do for class yet!” Ron said in shock, “No use being in the Library now!”

Hermione ran off to the library giving a look to Ron. As if saying ‘are you serious’ to him.

We continued to eat and chat in the hall. I rarely said anything. Soon it was time for afternoon classes, and we headed for Divination.

\---------------------------------------------

We travelled up to the Divination class. Taking a spiral staircase and then a ladder. I had only briefly been in this class a few times, learning all I could before I took my NEWTS for the subject. At the rate I was going I felt that I wouldn’t have any classes I would be taking this year. Although I felt Albus would make me.

I entered the room and sat down by myself away from everyone. Trelawney looked at me and I felt like she was looking at my soul. She started making predictions round the room and said how Harry was born in winter, I surprised at first at her knowledge, that is until Harry stated that she was wrong.

She then turned to me.

“Well a new arrival, from somewhere else,” she said in an aery voice, “two stars forever apart, Castor and Pollux, two stars that were meant to be together but are torn apart by time and loss.”

I looked at her shocked. How could she know that?

“Time will tell no lies,” she said randomly.

I looked down from her gaze and zoned out for the rest of the lesson. Knowing my brother and I’s name, saying ‘lies’, I felt worried she knew. As soon as class was over I ran out as fast as I could. She had said there was homework due to something Ron had said. We were all walking when Hermione appeared. She told everyone how she had unfortunately got no homework from her Professor.

Hermione noticed my shocked face, from the after affects from Trelawney. “What’s the matter?” she asked.

I looked away unsure of what to say.

“It’s Trelawney,” Harry explained for me, “said a bunch of rubbish at him. Everyone’s like that when she says things at first.”

“She’s a fraud,” Hermione said to me, “I wouldn’t listen to a word she says. It’s a bunch of rubbish anyway. I left the class after sitting there for a minute.”

“Yeah,” Harry said to me, “no need to worry about it. She’s a waste of space. Always gets things wrong anyway.”

I nodded in thanks to them both and said goodbye to them all as they headed off together to get ready before dinner. Instead I headed outside for a breath of air.

\---------------------------------------------

As I stood by the lake, I sat down with my feet touching the waters edge. I hated still being here. Classes were ever so dull and seemed so repetitive. I picked up a stone from beneath me and transfigured it into a bird. I then watched it fly away along the water out of view.

“A fancy piece of transfiguration,” a person said behind me, they then sat beside me, “Draco Malfoy, if you remember.”

“Janus Black,” I said to him in reply, “what are you doing out here?”

“Following you,” he replied, “I saw you run off upset about something. And I thought I would see if you’re okay.”

I looked at him surprised. He had followed me to see if I was alright, after seeing me upset. No one had ever cared enough to follow me if I was upset before. And when I looked at him I could see that he genuinely cared.

“What’s wrong then,” he said, “why are you out here?”

“I guess I’m home sick,” I replied to him, and in a way, I was, “I feel like I left my life behind when I came here.”

“Did you go to Beauxbaxtons?” he asked me, “When you were in France, right?”

“No, I was home schooled by my mother,” I told him, I felt the pain of lying again.

“So how did you manage to animate the bird you transfigured from a stone?” he asked me.

“Magic,” I told him jokingly.

He laughed as I said it and tried his luck with a stone. “You’re right, ‘magic’ really does it,” he told me, the bird he had created bobbed around and fell in the water, “that really works, I should have thought about ‘magic’ before.”

“Here if you close your eyes for a first try, picture what you are animating and imagine every single movement of the bird as you do so,” I said as I picked up another stone, and with a flourish of transfiguring it I let it go of it out of my hand and watched the bird fly off gracefully, “and ta-da, ‘magic’.”

“Impressive,” he laughed, “your mother must be good at transfiguration. Should you even be taking transfiguration you’re practically a master at the art?”

“No,” I said to him, “but I have to waste time in some way.”

“I can’t understand why you would need to,” he said, “you could just leave, do your NEWT in the subject now.”

“Yeah I suppose…” I said to him.

For a while we continued to sit together creating more birds and other things we could think of. We even later started to skip stones together. 

We were both so engrossed in our time outside that we missed dinner. When we could no longer see much due to the darkness. We remembered the time, and both said goodbye and went to our common rooms to sleep.

As I walked back, I couldn’t help thinking about if Draco had been in my year when I was in Hogwarts. I would have had a friend in my house that I could have spent time with like I had just done with him.

\---------------------------------------------

For the rest of the week I had classes and every single one was even more boring than the last. Potions was the exception as I was both bored and annoyed. The Professor, Severus Snape, was incessant that he would make my life a living hell, along with Harry’s. he went on about how incapable we were just like our fathers. My only saving grace was that I wasn’t the only target. Harry and I shared this burden together. And while one of us would be shouted at by him we would look over at each other and give a knowing look.

As we left the class, Harry turned to me and explained, “he really doesn’t like Sirius.” By the look he gave me, I felt like it was a lot more than that.

“Gossiping in the halls Potter and Black, detention!” the Professor said behind us, “Potter you will go tonight at 9 to Filch’s office and he will assign you work. Black, you will come to my office at 9 also.”

I looked at Harry questioningly, he just shrugged. By this I realised this was a common thing to happen also.

\---------------------------------------------

Harry and I left the common room that night and went our separate ways to our designated detentions.

I slowly walked down to the dungeons to the office I assumed the Professor would be. I remembered it from my time. I had been there quite a few times over the years. From being attacked by Gryffindors or just for conversations with my head of house.

I knocked on the door and waited to be told to enter.

“Enter,” I heard him say, I opened the door and saw him sitting behind his desk, he waved his hand to tell me to sit. I sat casually and waited for him to speak. “I had actually expected you to be in my office sooner after all your father-”

However as he spoke he stopped and looked at me, looking me up and down.

“You’ve been here before…” he whispered, “…and you haven’t snuck in, you don’t look guilty enough to have done that…”

“I’ve never been here before,” I said quietly, trying to convince him, “someone told me how to get here anyway…”

“Don’t lie to me!” he shouted at me quickly, “I can tell.”

“I’m not lying!” I said defensively, “I’ve never been here.”

“Yet no one told you how to get here, hmm,” he said to me smirking. “Who are, you clearly are in disguise, did our Dark Lord send you? You must be a Black at the very least. You wouldn’t have been able to pull this off otherwise.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said again, he was so close to the truth it was frightening, “I’m Sirius Black’s son.”

“So you are,” he said, “I should have known. I knew Black had no offspring. And you are no Gryffindor at the very least. Getting close to Potter. What a plan.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve never met the Dark Lord.” I said to him defensively.

“Another lie,” he said, “I won’t tell Dumbledore if that’s what you’re worried about, we already have plenty of Death eaters in the castle already. And Dumbledore has no idea.”

“You’re a Death eater,” I said surprised, “I’ve never heard of you? Snape? I’ve never heard of the Snape’s.”

“As I thought,” he said to me, “I was right. I just bluffed my way to your confession.”

“I’m not a Death eater,” I told him, “never have been, I’m just not Sirius son. You can’t tell anyone.”

He smirked at me again, and gave me a look, “What’s in it for me?”

I jumped up from the chair, pulled out my wand and jumped over his desk and held my wand to his throat in one single movement. “Continued survival Snape." I said quietly to his ear, "If you want to survive, I wouldn’t tell the Dark Lord a word.”

“And he’s alive then?” he said to me, “I suspected. What with the mark gaining more colour again.”

“Don’t say a word,” I said to him as I cotinued to hold my wand at his throat, “if you tell him anything I will-”

Suddenly Snape moved and dropped me to the floor holding my wand. He put his foot on top of my chest and held me down. I then used all the power I could and the bookcases on either sides of us move towards us and smash into him. He fell to the floor with that and I jumped back up and summoned my wand.

Snape looked up surprised at me and said, “Who are you Black!”

I laughed darkly, “That’s where you’re wrong Snape. I’m not a Black at all. Maybe distantly I suppose.”

Snape slowly got up, “You must understand that if I don’t find the Dark Lord and tell him about you he will kill me in the end.”

I nodded understanding. It was true, eventually he would be killed for not giving this information. “If you must, but you won’t find him any time soon, if he was alive, I would have seen him.”

“I’ll find my way,” he told me.

“I understand. Survival is important. I’ve had my fun anyway.” I pushed dust off his shoulder and patted him on the shoulder. “Once you notify him, could you at least warn me. Common curtesy?”

“I will,” he told me sincerely.

\---------------------------------------------

It had not even been a week and I had already been found out. By a Death eater no less.

The next night I sat alone in the Astronomy tower on a ledge sitting watching the sky. Harry told me of his gruesome detention with Filch that day while we walked together in the corridor, I nodded in understanding to him and said that Snape had made me write lines. I hated having to lie to him. But I knew it was the only way. 

As I sat however I heard someone walking up behind me and sat down. “Castor Lestrange. I can’t believe it. I didn’t even realise it was you. Then again this isn’t your face but Black’s. I had heard of you but I would never have suspected.” It was Snape. "If you would, follow me outside. To a distance outside the Hogwarts apparition wards.”

I looked at him surprised. “How did you figure it out?”

Snape was quite a bit younger than me, so had never met me. He must have spoken to someone who knows who I am and what I truly look like.

“I have my ways as I told you,” he explained, “now follow me now.”

\---------------------------------------------

We walked outside and made our way outside the parameters of the wards.

And there stood Lucius Malfoy. I remembered him from school. He was in my year. This was who Snape had spoken to.

“I feel my eyes are playing tricks, you are practically that Black’s double, I’m impressed Lestrange.” Lucius said to me, “Very impressed.”

He told me to grab his arm to apparate and I said goodbye to Snape.

“I understand Snape. I truly do,” I told him with a nod as Lucius and I disapparated.

\---------------------------------------------

“How did you know it was me?” I asked Lucius as we appeared within Malfoy manor, “what gave me away?”

“Severus Snape showed me memories of you when he had seen you,” Lucius explained, “same voice, same stance. You didn’t even try hard enough.”

“I had no idea you had payed so much attention to me at school,” I said to him laughing, “I ignored you.”

“Draco spoke of you in one of his letters he sends me,” Lucius told me, “your transfiguration skill is unparalleled by any other wizard I have seen or heard of. I believe you’re even better than Dumbledore himself. And he taught you everything he knows.”

“Is this jealousy or obsession?” I asked him sarcastically.

“Just as annoying as you were in school. Will you ever grow upu?” he asked me, “or is it because you pretend to be a child that you believe now that you are one.”

I looked at him thoughtfully. From his words I realised he didn’t know I was a time traveller. 

“Will you drop your Sirius Black impersonation,” Lucius said, “the Blood traitor is not someone I would like to look at.”

“But you would like to look at me?” I said to him snidely. I then changed my face to one that looked like my true appearance but much older.

“Much better,” he told me, “although I disagree with your previous comment. For one you're far to irritating to even think of.”

I laughed, “thank you for the clear sentiment and love you clearly have for me.”

“You’re unbearable,” he told me scowling, I just smiled at him in reply.

“So just so I know,” I said to him, “what’s your game plan of stealing me away from Hogwarts?”

He looked at me and wondered. “I haven’t a clue. I honestly did not think you would come willingly.”

“I am a man of many surprises,” I told him.

“Why did you pose as Sirius Black’s son, was it a way into the Light as a spy like Severus assumes. Or is it something else?”

“For the Dark Lord,” I told him, “I thought this would be a perfect way to destroy Dumbledore from within.”

As I said it I was lying, but at the same time I wasn’t sure who’s side I was on. I wasn’t a member of the Light nor was I truly a member of the Dark. Afterall, would the Dark Lord truly still care for me after throwing me away like he did. He was upset and regretted doing it but would he still care for me after all these years. Two sides of a war I didn’t want to be a part of. And I felt like the Light would never trust me and the Dark I would never know if I could trust myself. After their less than perfect track record in the past.

“Should I send you back then Castor?” he asked me, “Or are you done with that little game?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading. Let me know what you think. Should Castor continue to pretend, or should Castor change the plans set out by Dumbledore to protect him?

**Author's Note:**

> This took me a while to write but I've always liked stories where a new character appears and changes everything. Tell me what you think.
> 
> -Prydonian


End file.
